The Honda rider posted a time of 1 min 48.034 sec to bag his fifth pole of the year. The 2007 world champion, winner of four of the seven races this season, is joined on the front row by last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix winner Ben Spies, and Marco Simoncelli.
Stoner coasted to pole half a second in front of Yamaha’s American, Spies, on his ninth timed lap.
His time bettered the previous lap record of 1-48.080 set three hours earlier in practice by Spanish defending champion Jorge Lorenzo.
“We made one change on the bike from this morning and it worked out really well,” said Stoner.
“To set this time with tyres that had already put in 10 laps is very encouraging for the race.”
Italian Valentino Rossi was one rider affected by the wet conditions as he nursed his Ducati into 12th place.
Meanwhile, John Hopkins became the first American to claim a pole start in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship as he powered in a scorching lap of the all-new Snetterton 300 circuit aboard his Samsung Suzuki.
Hopkins, who goes into Sunday’s races in second place in the title stakes, lapped the three-mile long Norfolk circuit in one minute 47.451 seconds, a third of a second faster than Swan Yamaha rider Tommy Hill.
Shane Byrne, the series leader, 31 points up on Hopkins, starts his HM Plant Honda from the second row having gone sixth fastest, in 1 min 48.928 sec, after being slowed in the closing minutes by a rear tyre problem.
Meanwhile, John Hopkins became the first American to claim a pole start in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship as he powered in a scorching lap of the all-new Snetterton 300 circuit aboard his Samsung Suzuki.
Hopkins, who goes into today’s races in second place in the title stakes, lapped the three-mile long Norfolk circuit in one minute 47.451 seconds, a third of a second faster than Swan Yamaha rider Tommy Hill.
Shane Byrne, the series leader, 31 points up on Hopkins, starts his HM Plant Honda from the second row having gone sixth fastest, in 1 min 48.928 sec, after being slowed in the closing minutes by a rear tyre problem.